I Won't Leave
by Moment For Life
Summary: Rose finds Jack but she refuses to leave him.


**I Won't Leave**

In the first class corridor, Thomas Andrews opened doors checking if anyone was still in their staterooms. He knew he had to get passengers up on deck as soon as he could.

''Anyone in here.?'' He shouted as he saw Rose running towards him breathless.

''Mr. Andrews, thank God! Where would the Master at Arms take someone under arrest?'' She asked, breathlessly. He looked at her with confused eyes.

''What? You have to get to a boat right away!''

''No! I'll do this with or without your help, sir. But without will take longer.'' She knew she had to find Jack before it was too late.

'' Take the elevator to the very bottom; go left, down the crewman's passage, then make a right.'' Rose nodded trying to remember the information.

Jack pulled on the pipe with all his strength. It wasn't moving at all. He whipped his head around hearing a gurgling sound. Freezing water poured under the door, before spreading rapidly across the floor.

''Shit.'' His heart beat faster. He tried to pull one hand out of the cuffs until his hand was red raw. He felt the pain of the metal against his skin but he didn't care.

''Help can anyone hear me.'' He shouted out into the abandoned corridor, knowing that no one was there. He violently rattled the handcuffs against the bench over and over. ''This is going to be bad.'' The corridor outside was deserted and already flooded a couple of inches deep. Jacks voice was faint in the narrow space.

Rose ran as fast as she could, her heels clacking on the floor and her dress floating behind her. The last Elevator Operator was closing up his lift to leave when he noticed Rose running towards him. Several people had wanted to use the life to collect belongings from decks below but he refused.

''Sorry miss but the lift is closed.''

Without even thinking she grabbed him and shoved him back into the lift. She had no time to think.

''I'm through with being polite, goddamnit! I may never be polite the rest of my life! Now take me down!''

The operator fumbled to close the gate and start the lift. Through the wrought iron door of the elevator car, Rose could see the decks going past. Her stomach churned hoping that she could reach Jack in time before the ship started to flood. The lift slowed down a little and Rose glanced down. Suddenly ice water was swirling around her legs. She screamed in surprise, feeling the cold run through her body.

The car landed in a foot of freezing water, shocking the hell out other. She clawed the door open and splashed out. She hitched her dress up to her knees so it didn't slow her down as much. She glanced around remembering Mr Andrews's directions. ''Crew Passage.'' She spotted it and slogged down the flooded corridor. It was narrow and deserted; she knew she was on her own. She turned into a cross corridor and she splashed down the hall. There was a row of doors on each side with no indication of where Jack was. She began to run down the left corridor.

''Jack'' she yelled hoping he could hear her. The lights flickered on and off and she struggled to breathe feeling the icy water. Debris floated in the corridor bashing into her as she struggled to walk.

Inside the Master at Arms office, Jack was hopelessly pulling on the pipe again. He strained until his face was red and he was out of breathe. He collapsed back on the bench, realisation hitting him. There was no one down here; no one would know he was here. The ship was already underwater and through the porthole Jack could see lifeboats been rowed away from the ship. He hoped Rose was in a lifeboat and that she was safe. Suddenly, he thought he heard a voice, Rose's voice, it was shouting his name. The lights of the ship flicked on and off. Seconds later, the voice came again, this time clearer. New hope filled him.

''Rose I'm in here.'' He tapped his handcuffs wrists against the bench. ''I'm in here.''

The door opened and Rose came rushing towards him bashing into the debris which was floating in the room. She threw her arms around him.

''Jack, Jack, Jack... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.'' She kissed him, just happy to have found him.

''That guy Lovejoy put it in my pocket.''

''I know, I know.'' Rose pulled him towards her again, he leant against her shoulder for a second, just happy that she was here. She pulled away and glanced at the handcuffs.

''See if you can find a key for these. Look in that cabinet right there. It's a little silver one Rose.'' She clambered past the floating debris and opened the cabinet door.

''These are all brass ones.''

Jack indicated to a small drawer in the desk. ''Check right here Rose.''

Immediately she rummaged through the drawer. Jack watched as she quickly pulled bits of paper from the drawer. He was so glad that she was here. ''Rose, how did you find out I didn't do it?''

Rose looked at him. ''I didn't.'' She paused for a moment as his face fell serious. ''I just realised I already knew.''

A smile came across Jack's face. That was all he needed to know, that she trusted him. ''Keep looking.''

Rose continued to check in the other drawers and cupboards. Jack could see movement out of the porthole. Rose threw the last drawer into the knee high water. ''There's no key.'' She panicked for a moment, breathing hard. The both glanced around at the water, which was two foot deep. Jack had pulled his feet up onto the bench, feeling the icy water bring pins and needles to his body.

''Rose listen, you're going to have to go find some help.'' Jack saw as Rose nodded a worried look on her face. ''It'll be all right.''

Rose nodded, knowing that Jack was depending on her now. She knew she had to find some way to free him. She slogged through the debris to kiss him just once. She splashed her way into the doorway. ''I'll be right back.''

''I'll just wait here.''

Rose splashed down the hallway to a stairwell going up to the next deck. She climbed the stairs; her long skirt was leaving a trail like a giant snail. The weight of it slowed her down. She dragged herself up the stairs to find herself in the steerage hallways. The corridors narrow and winding, almost like a maze. She was alone here; she knew that but still continued to shout for help down the corridors. A long groan of stressing metal echoed along the hall as the ship continued to settle. She runs down the hall, unimpeded now. She turned a corner and runs along another corridor in a daze. The hall sloped down into water which, shimmers, reflecting the light. The margin of the water creeps toward her. A young man appeared, running through the water, sending up geysers of spray. He pelted past her without slowing.

''Help please, we need help.'' He didn't look back. She felt like she was in a bad dream. The hull gonged with terrifying sounds. Rose leaned against the wall as the lights flickered out leaving utter darkness. The ship groaned loudly and Rose felt herself begin to hyperventilate. A second later the lights flickered back on. That one moment of blackness was the most terrifying of her life. Rose knew there was no help up here; she had to get back to Jack. Maybe she could go up on decks to find someone.

Jack had climbed up on the bench, and was hugging the water pipe. The water was flooding in rapidly and was now up to his waist. Rose pushed through the door, the water now almost impossible to walk in. ''Jack.'' She pushed her way through the debris. ''There's no help anywhere.''

Jack nodded his head; he knew he had no chance.

''I'll go up on decks and find some help.'' Rose was about to turn when Jack's voice stopped her.

''No Rose.'' If he sent Rose up on deck to get help it would be completely flooded before she got back down and he wasn't willing to risk her life. He nodded his head to himself, realising he was a goner and Rose had to get out. ''Rose you go and get on a boat.''

Rose looked at him, her expression blank. She splashed closer to him. ''I'm not going without you.''

''Go to the boats Rose.''

Rose touched Jack's shoulder. ''No not without you.'' She refused to leave him. If she went now maybe she could get some help.

''You have to Rose. I'll be all right now you go.'' Jack tried to reassure her but in his heart he knew she could see through him.

She touched his face with her right hand. A small tear running down her face. ''I'm not leaving you.''

''Rose, please go.''

Jack knew how stubborn she was. He knew he had no hope. He didn't want to point out the obvious, that he was going to die here. ''Please Rose. There is no hope for me.'' His voice cracked and Rose shook her head.

Tears fell down Rose's face. ''It's my entire fault. If we hadn't gone back to Cal then...'

''No Rose, it's not your fault. I don't want you to die here. Not here like this Rose. You have a chance to go.'' He told her. He wished he could touch her face, to comfort her or hold her hand.

''But I can't go without you. I'll go see if there's any help.''

''No one is here Rose. The ship is flooding fast, she's already underwater.'' Rose glanced out of the porthole seeing the lifeboats rowing away from the ship. The water was still pouring in fast, debris floating around in the room.

Jack felt a tear run down his face; he didn't want Rose to see his face. ''Go Rose.'' His voice was low. Rose pushed her body closer to him. Her teeth chattering, she could no longer feel the lower part of her body.

''No Jack. I won't leave without you. I'd rather die here.'' She said to him in almost a whisper.

''Rose…'' Jack squeezed his eyes shut feeling tears fall down his face.

''I said I was getting off the ship with you. Even if it means staying here with you.'' Rose smiled a little. She touched his face remembering the promise she had made to him just hours before.

''Rose please go. You can go on, you don't need me.''

She threw her arms around his body feeling how cold he was and she pressed herself against him. ''I need you Jack. I wanted a life with you. I can't go on without you now.'' She whispered and he felt his tears falling down his face. He knew then that she wouldn't leave and no matter what he said or did he couldn't make her. She pulled away kissing his lips seeing him cry too. She smiled to him feeling the cold works its way up her body. She leant her body close to his, her teeth chattering. She saw just how blue his lips were.

''I want you to be safe Rose.'' He whispered to her.

''I am safe here with you. It's where I want to be.'' She pressed their foreheads together. They did nothing but look into the others eyes. Rose was unmoving.

''I didn't expect any of this to happen.'' Jack remembered just hours before they were laughing and making love. They thought nothing could ever go wrong.

''I'm so glad I met you Jack.'' Rose whispered in between sobs. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to ignore the pain of the cold.

''Rose, listen to me. Listen. Winning that ticket was the best thing that ever happened to me.'' Jack was having trouble getting the breathe to speak. His eyes looked right into Rose's and for a second she forgot all of the pain. ''It brought me to you. And I'm thankful, Rose. I'm thankful.''

His voice was trembling with the cold which was working its way to his heart. But his eyes were unwavering.

''I love you Jack.''

''No... Don't say your good-byes, Rose. Don't you give up. Don't do it.'' His voice was forceful and it instilled more life into Rose.

''I'm so cold.'' Her face was pale, her lips blue.

Jack wished he could put his arms around her or find a way to get them out but he knew he couldn't. He kissed her hair and felt her move closer to his body. The water now came to their chest and they knew it wouldn't be long until it engulfed them completely. He knew he loved her too but he knew if he told her, he too would be giving up. He felt guilt knowing soon Rose would die too, but it was her choice. The choice she had made through her love for him.

''I wish we could get out of here Rose. I'd take you to Santa Monica, take you dancing. I'd want to grow old with you Rose, maybe marry you and make lots of babies.''

Rose felt her heart break knowing that would never happen. Tears continued to fall down their face, they both cried for a life they knew they would never live out together. ''I want that too.'' She smiled through her tears.

Jack swallowed the lump in his throat feeling himself slipping into a dream like state. ''I love you so much Rose.'' He kissed her hair. She moved her body to his wrapping her arms around him in a pathetic attempt to keep him warm. Her body was weak and cold. The numbness had worked its way up her body until she couldn't feel anything but the heart-wrenching, terrible pain she felt, which tugged at her heart. Jack's body grew limp and the water was just to their chins. Rose kept her eyes closed as she knew what was coming next. The ship groaned terribly and soon she was engulfed by the water. She had taken her last breathe. She didn't take a deep breath before she went under, she didn't want to prolong dying. She could feel the pain of the cold and for a split second she opened her eyes to see Jack looking at her, he smiled a weak smile and then her eyes closed.

Forever.

**Edit: 10/5/14**

**Spelling and grammar.**


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